Three Things to Know Before Heading Out on The Water
1. Clean, Drain, Dry
Cleaning, draining, and drying protects our water bodies by reducing the possibility of their spread. New York State law requires that every boat — including kayaks, canoes, and associated equipment — operated anywhere in the state is to be cleaned, drained, dried, or treated before launching.
CLEAN: Be sure to clean your boat and equipment by removing any visible plants, animals, mud, or debris.
DRAIN: Drain all water-holding compartments, including live wells, bait wells, ballast tanks, and bilge areas.
DRY: Dry boats, trailers, and all equipment before use in a waterbody.
2. Motor Boat Certification:
Operators of any kind of motorized watercraft inside the Adirondack Park must carry a certificate confirming their motorboat is free of harmful aquatic invasive species. Motorboat operators can receive a watercraft inspection certificate from an Adirondack Watershed Steward by accepting a free boat inspection or decontamination. You can learn more about this regulation via an informational video found here.
Alternatively, boaters may follow CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY steps on their own and fill out a self-issued certificate found here.
Starting on Memorial Day, numerous Adirondack Watershed Steward Inspection and Decontamination Stations will be open throughout the Adirondacks. Locations and hours can be found at adkcleanboats.com.
3. Boater Safety Certification:
Boating safety certificates are required for recreational boaters using motorized vessels, including personal watercraft. Brianna’s Law requires that boaters born after January 1, 1988 must pass a course by January 1, 2022, and those born after January 1, 1978 must pass a course by January 1, 2024. After that, regardless of age, all boat operators will be required to pass a state-approved boater safety course by January 1, 2025